


Traveling With Lumpy Pillows

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Drama, F/F, Post Bartlett Administration
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-02-03
Updated: 2006-02-03
Packaged: 2019-05-31 10:42:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15117695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: "Every place you ever step foot in you have made your own Nancy."





	Traveling With Lumpy Pillows

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**Traveling With Lumpy Pillows**

**by:** Montiese 

**Character(s):** Nancy McNally, OFC  
**Pairing(s):** Nancy/Lauren  
**Category(s):** Drama/Slash/Post-White House  
**Rating:** YTEEN  
**Summary:** “Every place you ever step foot in you have made your own Nancy.”  
**Written:** 2005-11-10  
**Author's Note:** This is #1 in the **Ultimate Happiness** Series. It will tell the story of Nancy and Lauren after Nancy’s resignation from the White House. 

“Baby, I have a question for you.” 

“Mmm hmm.” 

Lauren hardly stirred from her sleep. Nancy nudged her a bit; Lauren’s eyes half-opened. 

“What’s the matter?” Lauren asked. 

“Why did I bring these lumpy pillows all the way from Chevy Chase?” 

Thunder rumbled across the sky as Lauren rested her cheek on her hand. She focused sleepy eyes on the former National Security Advisor. The room was dark but the situation had not yet reached turn on the lamp status. 

“Good question.” Lauren replied. “There are plenty of respectable pillow places in New York City. How about Fitz and I get you some new ones tomorrow?” 

“That would be nice, but why didn’t I just leave these behind in the first place?” Nancy asked. 

“You liked them perhaps?” 

“No, I don’t. Well, I certainly do not dislike them…they are inanimate objects. All I'm saying is that it is weird they made the trip when they are not comfortable. They make my neck hurt.” 

“You can't sleep?” Lauren asked. 

“Not really.” 

Nancy flopped over on her back and stared at the slow moving ceiling fan. Lauren ran her fingers through Nancy’s hair and listened to her sigh. 

“What's the matter Nancy? You know you can talk to me, right?” 

“Of course. I…” she stopped, took a deep breath, and then sighed. “I miss Doug so much I can't see straight.” 

“Yeah, I know.” 

Nancy’s breathing swallowed and Lauren pulled her into her arms. She cried silent tears as Lauren held her. 

“He is looking over us and I know you feel that. He will always live in your heart because he loved you so much.” 

“I hate being scared…rarely am I scared. The few times I have been, I just pick up the phone and call him. He eased my fears and he can't do that anymore. It is so selfish of me.” 

“It is not selfish. Let me help if I can. Tell me what you're afraid of.” 

“A new career, at 53? That is definitely cause for worry. What if no one pays attention to me baby?” 

“I don’t think that should be a concern. This is a school where they pay a lot of money for a quality education. You are a fantastic speaker and a monumentally intelligent person. If you combine all that with that sexy voice, the students will be scrambling to get into your seminars.” 

Nancy laughed a bit but then sniffed. Lauren held her tighter. 

“Why did he have to leave me?” she asked. 

Lauren never heard Nancy sound so lost. Doug had hardly been gone a month; this was expected. They buried him a few days before moving to New York…two days from what would have been his 80th birthday. The autographed Lou Gehrig baseball that Nancy spent a fortune on still sat in one of the boxes in the study she and Lauren now shared. 

“He didn’t want to leave you, that’s why he called you that night. He always wanted to be close and now you have his voice. I wish I could be more eloquent and say just the right thing to make you feel better boo boo. I'm so sorry.” 

“Just don’t let me go.” Nancy murmured. 

“Never. You know you are going to be an excellent professor. The toast of Columbia University. The books are going to pour out of you; no one alive is more of an expert on the Cold War. Every place you have ever step foot in you have made your own Nancy. And there is a little boy down the hall and a woman holding you in her arms who think the whole world of you.” 

“Yeah.” Nancy kissed her neck softly. “Are you really going to buy me pillows tomorrow?” 

“Three, no four of the fluffiest pillows we can find. Even one of those pillows with the arms so you can read in bed. Fitz and I will even buy you a little surprise.” 

“I love you baby.” 

“I love you too. Get some sleep Dr. McNally…you have a very big day tomorrow.” 

“You and Fitz should come up for lunch soon, before he starts school. I can show you around the campus.” 

“That sounds great; you know he is dying to see where mommy works.” 

“Nothing will ever impress him like the Situation Room.” 

“Yeah, that’s probably true.” Lauren sighed. “Here we are love; the beginning again.” 

They held each other and let sleep take hold as the storm raged outside and things went back to calm in the bedroom. 

“Mummy?” 

Fitz pushed the door open and stuck his head in. Both Nancy and Lauren sat up in bed. 

“What's the matter muffin?” Nancy asked. 

“I don’t like the thunder, and I'm scared. Can I sleep in here?” 

“Of course, come on sweetie.” 

Fitz came in clutching Theodore, closed the door and climbed into bed with his mothers. They both kissed him as he cuddled close to Lauren. This was Nancy’s new life, wife, mother, teacher, normal person. No more late night phone calls, trips abroad away from her family for long stretches of time, split second decisions that could cause lives, violence, bloodshed, and seeing the worst in everything all the time. She wanted this…bedtime with Lauren, cuddling with Fitz, thunderstorms, and the ridiculously huge brownstone that would take a lifetime to decorate. 

“Go to sleep love.” Lauren whispered. 

She reached across Fitz to caress Nancy’s face, mouthing her love for her once more before the whole family settled in for the night. 


End file.
